Wishes
by ChaoticxTheoreticals
Summary: The War is over and Voldemort is defeated. Unfortunately, Hermione is still not happy. What happens when there are two knights in shining armor she has to choose between? DHr, ?Hr, Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue.

It had started while still in their seventh year at Hogwarts. He had gotten Head Boy, she, Head Girl. Neither was very surprising, even though they were such opposites. At first, themselves and their friends usually avoided the Head common room, seeing as it was prone to explosive fights and hexes.

Somehow, though, halfway through the first semester they were snogging in a broom closet. Of course, Voldemort still had not been overtaken yet and their relationship could not go public.

Hermione Granger continued to date Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy continued to date Pansy Parkinson. To others, their attitude towards each other had not changed in the slightest. Snarky comments. The occasional hex. Name-calling. All went as usual, and no one saw a difference.

No one saw the steamy nights on the Common Room couch.

"Draco…! Harry," She panted, "and Ron are coming by to work on homework. We should not be doing this now. What if they catch us? You know they certainly will not approve, and knowing Ron's demeanor, the entire school will know in mere hours."

_Hermione was lying on her back, clothes mussed after a ravaging session of snogging. Draco Malfoy was out of breath as well, his platinum blonde hair sticking in all directions from her ministrations. Who knew Granger was such a wildcat? He sent her his trademark smirk, which Hermione had been steadily becoming fonder of._

"_Hermione, love. Did you ever think I enjoy the extra adrenaline rush that brings me? One day, I swear, I will have the victory of seeing their faces when Voldemort has been defeated." He informed her, nipping her throat. If he continued like that for much longer, she thought she might just lose it. Again._

"_Draco." She chastised. "They are my best friends, and I love you both. Now, I really…" Pausing as he began to kiss the base of her throat, she found she lost the ability to speak. Regaining her senses she continued. "…must go fix myself up. Please let me up?" She batted her eyes coquettishly. _

_Another smirk. "I think you might just be my undoing. But I suppose you're right. If my father found out, your life would be on the line and I could absolutely not have that." As he was lifting himself off of her, and then taking her hand to help her up, a knock sounded on the door._

"_Hermione? Hermione!" Ron's deep voice called through the portrait hole. She cursed inwardly._

"_Go to your room!" She ordered Draco, rushing to the mirror. Her wand quickly fixed the problem of a flushed face, and she straightened out her shirt and threw her hair in a ponytail._

_Opening the portrait, she smiled in what she hoped was an innocent enough way._

"_What took you so long?" The youngest Weasley son asked, looking around the room in an almost suspicious manner._

"_Sorry, I was in the bathroom. Now was it Transfiguration you need help with, Ron?" He nodded in what he thought was a seductive smile as Harry was already settling himself comfortably on the couch. The red-haired boy leaned in to passionately kiss his girlfriend as the Slytherin around the corner seethed in anger and jealousy._

No one saw the two of them cuddled on aforementioned couch reading.

It was Saturday, and Ron and Harry had had Quidditch practice, so she was free for Draco that day. They were both still in their pajamas at eleven in the morning, not even having bothered to fix themselves up for the day. All that had been accomplished was breakfast –who knew Malfoy was a good cook? - And settling on the couch to read. Draco had found an interesting book on the history of curses, and Hermione was reading a history of the fall of dark wizards. He had his back against the arm of the couch, and she was seated between his legs, using his chest as a pillow. Somehow, they managed to read like that. Though, at the moment he was playfully peeking over her shoulder and twirling her wide curls in one finger, messily braiding them together.

_Times like these were rare, Pansy was pushing for more time with the Slytherin Prince, and Ron was trying to figure out why Hermione would go no further with him than a good snogging. The truth was, even though Draco said it was okay if she did, she didn't think she could. It would feel….wrong. Anytime she thought of it, her stomach knotted and a feeling akin to nausea would overcome her. She and Draco had in fact done the deed two and a half months into the relationship, and she was happy she had. Now if anything came to its worst, she could at least know he was the one who had had her first. Draco's girlfriend had not been so willing to wait in their fifth year, back when the two lovers had been enemies still. And his father was not so happy about how his son was apparently staving off on the act with Pansy at the moment. It was looking suspicious, so Hermione too had given permission. Sure, she'd be jealous as hell, but she knew she would be the one he would actually enjoy it with later._

"_Would you stop?" She asked playfully, as she felt his warm breath at her ear._

"_Oh, but Hermione…" He breathed again, and she sighed._

"_I really would like to read."_

"_I really would like to play with your hair." He smirked in that same exasperating way she knew she could not refuse. That was the day each of them knew they loved each other._

No one saw them hidden away in a far corner of the library working on homework together.

Draco sighed in annoyance. "This Ancient Runes is hell," He informed her petulantly.

"_Really? I finished it ages ago. Want help?" Hermione immediately began to dig through her bag._

"_No." He refused, stubbornly childlike. She smirked. It was seemingly a habit she was beginning to pick up from him._

"_You realize, if you don't finish now, between all of this and rounds, we'll have no time to ourselves later." Winking at him, Draco groaned._

"_Who knew the Gryffindor Princess was such a minx?" She gasped at him._

"_I most certainly am _not_, Malfoy. I will have you know you are the first and only person I have ever gone past a snog with, and that…" The rest of her lecture in his direction was stopped by Draco leaning over the table to kiss her._

_How he loved it when she got mad._

No one saw the stolen moments in broom closets when they simply could not be held off until later.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hermione practically screeched at him as she was snatched away into a broom closet on her way to Potions. Her wand had been out and at the ready, predicting Voldemort himself for all she knew. His grey eyes were locked with her dark brown ones, though his were now darkening to slate.

"I'm sorry," He breathed. "Its just Potter and Weasley have kept you closer than usual and I haven't kissed you in ages…"

"Well you know because the war is drawing near, Draco. They know I'm a target." Truthfully, it hadn't been only her best friends keeping her away from Draco. She was scared of the upcoming war. What side was he going to take in it? She couldn't face him on the battlefield. She would not be able to bear to watch him fall…to watch him go to Azkaban for the rest of his life, or worse. He recognized the thoughts.

"How many times have I told you, love. When the battle is just about to begin I'm switching sides. You know they won't take me unless I have information, and I will then. We can then finally announce our relationship…" His voice was wistful, dreamy. Hermione's face softened.

"I'm just scared. I'll make sure they don't hurt you. But be careful. I don't want you killed before we can live our life together. Understand? Be. Careful." He smiled at her.

"You're so beautiful when you're worried." He kissed her, and although she was a full minute late and the new Professor Nesbytt was not happy with her about it, she felt happier than she had in ages, and even kissed Ron full on the mouth without her stomach turning.

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy appeared to be business as usual to others.

But then the war exploded. It came without warning, and the Slytherin Prince and the Gryffindor Princess were thrown into the thick of it. It also seemed Draco's allegiance on his side was being called into question, so while Hermione paced worriedly in her tent on the battlegrounds, Draco was in one on the opposite side, magically bound and suffering the _Cruciatus. _The War continued without any sign of the blonde Slytherin she had come to love, on the battlefield or off.

She assumed he was killed. So she eventually gave in to Ron's insistence on taking it further, only ending up feeling like she had betrayed Draco. Harry seemed to realize something was wrong, but of course he knew soon he would be facing Voldemort and did not put too much thought forward at the time. Instead the very next day the peak of the battle happened. The Golden Trio fought like experienced warriors, as Ron and Hermione had Harry's back so he could get to Voldemort unharmed. The two great wizards met in the center of the battlefield. Hermione watched with horror as Charlie Weasley went down, and Ginny was injured. Dean Thomas was being dragged off the field, and Colin Creevey fell moments after. She had actually cried out when Neville Longbottom was knocked unconscious, only to breathe in relief as Oliver Wood killed the Death Eater about to finish off the klutzy boy, and drag his former classmate to the Hospital area. It was finished sooner than anyone expected, as Harry merely summoned up all his courage and hatred, and sent a final Avada Kedavra. Of course, however, there were still the Death Eaters to contend with. One shouted a dark spell at Harry in vengeance, only to have it taken by Luna Lovegood, who apparently had had a crush on Harry for a while.

Hermione had been devastated by the losses and had retreated to the Hospital tent to help heal those in need.

"_Hermione," Tonks whispered to her quietly, "You can't save everybody…"She was referring sadly to Katie Bell, over whom George was crying. It was obvious Harry's old Quidditch teammate was dying, a _Sectumsempra_ had hit her and although George had fought his way back with her, she was clearly too far gone. The dark-haired girl smiled at her boyfriend one last time, and closed her eyes._

_Although Hermione was not closest to the twins out of the Weasley clan, she went over to drape an arm over his shoulder anyway. Fred was out in one of the companies chasing after fleeing Death Eaters, and she knew how alone he must feel. With Draco having disappeared…._

"_Harry! Hermione!" Lupin's voice called from the entrance of the tent to each of the teenagers at their respective beds. Harry looked to Hermione, who nodded. Her best friend walked away from Luna's bed to Remus, and the three grouped together, wands out - just in case - toward the POW area. _

"_Your friend Seamus found someone he thought you guys would like to see. Apparently, Kingsley had to keep your classman off the prisoner." Remus smiled wanly. "How I wish this damn war would be over, already." _

"_Don't we all," Hermione smiled with a slightly more sarcastic tone as they entered and she grimaced at the captured Death Eaters and helpers. A couple begged for mercy, a couple glowered, a couple shouted vengeance. It was sad, really. They went to the very back of the magically enlarged tent, the very last cell away from the others. Seamus stood nearby, glowering in the general direction of the door. Kingsley was watching Seamus wearily, hoping he wouldn't have to take drastic measures to keep the boy away. _

"_Seamus…Dean's injured in the Hospital area. Go see him?" Hermione offered, and Seamus' eyes lit up in sad recognition. Their friend took off in a frantic run. Apparently this was new information to him. _

"_It's safe to go in, right?" Hermione then asked Kingsley._

"_Yes. He's pretty harmless at this point. What we can't figure out, however, is why he's injured, and was being kept in a room. We're not certain what to with him at the moment, seeing as this means he could have possibly been trying to change sides." The tall, black man shrugged noncommittally, and whispered the password to the door, which creaked open, an inch or two. Hermione had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and as she and Harry walked in together that fear was confirmed. _

_Blonde hair was matted with blood to his head, and more was seeping down his face, into his eyes, onto the cot that served for a bed. He was either unconscious or sleeping. _

"_Shit. It's Malfoy, Hermione." Harry said, his upper lip lifting in what appeared to be a pitying sneer. Somehow it managed to be both. Hermione turned to face him._

"_I feel bad for him, Harry. He obviously was meaning to change sides…like Kingsley said." Though her point was made with uncertainty, and Harry looked at her like his best friend had grown a second head._

_That's when she felt the eyes on her. She turned her head minimally, enough to see the grey focused on her, and her only. His mouth moved slightly, as if talking to himself and Hermione felt a sudden swell of love toward him._

"_Harry. Give me a moment. You're probably incredibly intimidating at the moment, and you most likely won't have any chance of getting information." Harry nodded hesitantly, eyed Malfoy, and exited with a whispered, _

"_Be careful now, 'Mione." When she heard the door clang shut behind her she rushed to him. _

"_Oh Draco. If only I could kiss all the injuries away…" Her eyes clouded with tears._

"_So…you're real. This is real?" His voice was hoarse, uncertain. _

"_Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Hermione smiled sadly, brushing a lock of blood damp hair away from his eyes._

"_I was dreaming of you. In the tent. All the time. I thought…that the Battle was a dream. I didn't think it was real…until Yaxley came to finish me off…" His voice was becoming more distant. _

"_Draco, stay with me. What happened? I need to know."_

"_I was packing. Dolohov, he found me. Told my father. They locked me away…then I woke up in a different room. Apparently the tent your friend found me in." He attempted to smile. Hermione leaned forward and kissed him gently._

"_I am going to have Harry move you to the Hospital area. I will take care of you, Draco. You'll get better, I promise." She stood and walked to the door._

"_Harry, there are some things I need to tell you…now."_

Now Hermione sat nestled I the corner of her favorite chair, book open to a page she had stopped reading ages ago, caught up in her vivid memories. Vaguely, she heard the door open in the background. A pair of lips caught hers, and she noncommittally kissed Ron back. It was three months later. She was working in the Ministry as a Healer, and Ron as an Auror, of course. Draco, upon finding out of the progression of the Weasel and Hermione's relationship while he was gone, informed her that he did not want them to break up because of him, that one day Ron would be a better father than he. So they had left the entire relationship under wraps, only known to two people. Honestly, she had no idea why she had even listened to him. It utterly made no sense. And she missed him, every day.

Since the Battle, Harry had married Luna, who was already pregnant. Ron had been trying to push for it, she knew. But she was steadily holding it off. And she had grown scarily close to the Weasley twins. Sure, it was an unlikely friendship. But she had loosened up a great deal, and their humor and pranks really livened up her day. They surprisingly accepted her reading, and she found herself working at their shop all the time whenever she got bored, or wanted to escape Ron. Fred was the other person, aside from Harry, who knew about Draco. He, even though Ron was his brother, wanted her to get away from his younger sibling. It was his personally opinion that it was extremely unhealthy for her. That all she and Ron did was fight, or Hermione would simply fake being happy with him. George had even extended the invitation that if she ever wanted to leave permanently, there would always be a room in their flat above the shop available. It was strange. They were almost beginning to replace Harry and Ron. Ron she just almost felt a permanent repulsion by, no matter what she did. And Harry had a wife and a child coming on the way. They would always be friends, but they couldn't spend every minute of every day together anymore. As selfish as it was, she missed that deeply. She sighed.

"What's wrong, 'Mione?" Ron asked dutifully, seating himself on the sofa.

"Nothing. Just a little tired from work, is all." She closed her book, and shot what she hoped was a happy smile in his direction.

"I'm fine." She assured, knowing full well the word 'fine' would come nowhere near describing her at that moment in the least. 'Fine' was for people who were decently happy, who were at least a little bit confident in their lives.

'Fine' was not Hermione.

**A/N – I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Sorry about What If? I will get that updated soon, I promise. This story is an idea, or rather, a bunch of ideas I've had rolling around in my mind for a long time. Every time I read a Hermione pairing story, there's always something I wish that would happen, and doesn't. So this story is all my Hermione wishes put into writing. There will be jealousy, a decision between two men(which I would love if reviewers helped me decide who she ends up with), no Ginny(hehe), and Harry/Luna. Which I find adorable. Anyway, review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One.

Hermione practically sagged through the door after her day of work. It had been tiring, and she thought a nice bubble bath could be in order. The fact of being alone was welcome – Ron did not seem to be home yet. Lately, she had been trying to come home and leave the house at the most opportune times, to see him the least.  
He must be working late, she thought. She almost had to, and that's what she had told him. Walking into the master bedroom, her eyebrow knitted. Something was amiss. What was it? Stopping and analyzing the room from a critical stance, she finally identified it as the smell. It was spicy and…seductive? Hermione felt a pinprick of a suspicion, and she tried to ward it away as overreacting. Getting down on her hands and knees, she looked underneath the bed. Nothing. On the sheets…perhaps? She tried. Nothing. Behind the dresser…Hermione found her fear. There was evidently a forgotten piece of underwear, a scrap of cloth that could hardly be called panties. Hermione knew she would never in a million years wear something like that.

That could only bring it to one conclusion. Shrieking in unbridled fury, she whipped out her suitcase from her closet. No. She did not want to fight this out with Ron, when the answer was clear as day. Packing all the necessaries, she kept listening for the door to open. She seemed to be in luck.

Maybe he was off screwing some other girl. Maybe all those trips…and how much overtime he put in. She had never paid much attention to it, because she had only been thankful to have time alone away from him. Hermione really could not believe it. Sure, it was rather obvious they weren't in love anymore, but to go off and _cheat? _Why couldn't they talk about it? They could get a divorce, make it easy. Why did he go off and s how just how little respect he held for her? It made her want to scream again. What happened to the friendship that had lasted for closing on ten years now? Apparently she was not worth anything anymore. That stung. Sure, she knew she had not been the best wife lately, but she certainly hadn't gone off to find merely someone else! Her eyes watered with tears, and she swore not to cry there. She would not cry there. That woman had been in here, and she was not let it going to overcome her there. It would only mean she had lost, and Hermione could not have that.

Hermione jerked her zipper closed with an air of finality, and nose primly in the air she stalked out of the apartment, and Apparated to the only place she knew to go.

-----

Maybe it only felt like the walk of shame as she strode up the street in Diagon Alley, everyone knew she was married to Ron, it had been all over the papers for at least three weeks. She did get a couple questioning stares, and she tried to suck up her tears and look nonchalant. Hermione actually was not paying much attention to where she was going; her feet were doing the directing toward the most colorful shop in town. 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' had grown to apparent immense popularity, and she was not the only one headed in that direction. Amongst her were Hogwarts students, some around her age, and even a couple not quite Hogwarts age.

She walked in – or rather, was pushed in, those children were quite excited to get into the building- and looked for the orange shock of hair that would mark her favorite twins. Almost immediately, she spotted George reaching for something up high for a child, and she strode over.

"Hey George, where's Fred?" She asked, still looking around to no avail. George, finally having to levitate the aggravating product down, turned and lit up.

"Hermione! Ron giving you trouble again? Fred's upstairs in the apartment, it's his shift off. He's been a bit sulky." Hermione lifted an eyebrow, and began digging through her purse for a hair tie, as George continued, "I think he needs to get laid. Maybe you should help him." It was said with a totally straight face, and Hermione dropped her purse.

" Shit." She cursed as she picked up all the offending items that had fallen out, only to stand up and see George grinning at her. Hermione could not help but chuckle.

"All right. Going upstairs to find your miscreant brother." She picked up her suitcase again, and as soon as she was halfway across the store, George yelled,

"Remember! Contraceptives are your friend!"

Needless to say, an unopened box of fake wands was soon levitated in his general head direction.

-----

Hermione, out of habit, knocked on the door first. She heard something crash as whoever was inside stumbled to the door. Fred opened it a moment later, hair mussed, with sleepy eyes. His muggle jeans were unzipped and she realized that was what all the crashing had been.

"Oh! I'm sorry Fred. Did I wake you?" She asked, letting herself in and sinking down on the couch.

"Yeah, but it's all right 'Mione. What's wrong? What has my idiot brother done now?" Hermione _really _did not want to explain. It was embarrassing, and a shot in the heart to her pride.

"Nothing. Can I just live here for a little while?" Fred knew something was direly wrong, but he knew not to push her.

"Sure, take the guest room, down the hall. You know where it is." He smiled warmly at her, and picked up her suitcase for her. Hermione knew she could have done that fine, but like Fred moments ago, there was no use arguing. The mischievous Weasley could actually be a gentleman when he wanted, and arguing over something like that would be simply stupid.

She followed him back to the bedroom, and sat in defeat on the bed. Actually, she loved this bedroom. It had the window she loved so much, the kind that jutted out from the wall and had a bench you could sit on. Hermione had no idea what the actual architectural name of it was, but she loved them. The window overlooked bustling Diagon Alley from the side –the shop was a full story over the shop next to them, and seeing down to the road was not a hard thing to do- and she had stayed here once or twice before, when she was having nightmares and she and Ron had not been married yet. Of course, like the rest of the apartment, it was quite a colorful room, painted light yellow, with a white comforter emblazoned with two large, bright orange and yellow flowers. She had actually picked it out for them, when she had walked in and there was a green and red polka dot one there. It had to go. Obviously, the twins were not the decorators of the century. And if she ended up staying there a few weeks, she was going to make it her personal project to make it semi-coordinated. It was one of those days she found herself really missing Draco. He had a knack for decorating, and as much as she had liked to tease him about it, he had been much better than she was. Between missing him, and her discovery of her husband, she could not hold back the flood of tears anymore. She did not realize how loud she had gotten until a very strong pair of arms wrapped around her until she finally calmed down.

"Now tell me, what did Ron do?" Fred asked, letting Hermione bury her head in his chest. Thank God he had thought to put on a shirt after he had her settled in. Slowly, and with many hiccups, Hermione told how she had found the pair of panties, and what she thought of it all, including her thoughts on Draco.

"'Mione, love, first, you have absolutely _no _luck with men. That said, the lucky men that always seem to catch you are dimwitted enough to turn around and do something stupid. I want you to forget about Ron, because we all knew this would be coming to an end eventually. I want you to live your life. You can stay here as long as you want to, Hermione until you get everything straightened out. George and I love you." Hermione nestled even closer. Bluntness was something she appreciated about Fred. He always said exactly what he was thinking, and it helped her get an honest opinion.

"I was also thinking of quitting my job. Working in the emergency ward isn't helping my demeanor."

"But you've wanted to be a Healer for…forever!" He protested.

"Yeah, but that was back when Harry still had to save the world. I don't want to watch people die anymore. As selfish as it is, I want a happier job. I would quit now, but I don't have nearly the savings to pay you and George rent for the room." Fred outright started laughing so much he almost fell over.

"You actually thought we'd charge you anything? 'Mione, that's rather an insult to my ego." He feigned clutching his heart and being in lots of pain. "But knowing you, if you really want to keep working you can take up a job at the shop…y'know." He offered, almost…was he nervous? Hermione snickered at his expression.

"I suppose." She said primly, removing herself from him and beginning to unpack. "I just hope Ron doesn't explode on the two of you." Fred laughed again.

"Love, Ron's 'explosions' are not exactly wise to pull on the owners of a successful joke shop." He reminded. Fred wondered if Ron would even know that was where Hermione had gone. "Hermione…" He said thoughtfully. "You know, we could put up wards on the apartment if you didn't want him to know you're here. And if he comes into the shop, just duck and run for the storeroom or something." Hermione turned around from hanging a shirt up in the closet and threw her arms around his neck.

"Really? Actually, that would be a load off."

"Yeah, we all know load off's are quite enjoyable." Hermione rolled her eyes, and went back to her suitcase.

"I'll tell George and we'll get right on it. Now, until my shift begins, Dad gave us one of those Muggle tele..eye..something or others. Care to show me how to use it?"

"A television?" She asked, eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Yeah! That! And some 'machine' or other that plays these…DVDs." Hermione giggled.

"Of course I'll show you. Come on."

And so began what promised to be an interesting stay above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

**A/N – To my two amazing lovely reviewers, who said Ron was one of the options? evil snicker Anyway. I got this updated as soon as I could, and there might be a couple spelling mistakes so bear with me. Also, I am inspired with reviews like all writers, so leave me a critique, a question, anything! Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – **I think today I'll start off with reviewer replies.

Evil Tobi – Nah, he's not. Fred and George are just currently up there as a couple of her best friends. I mean, think about it. Harry and Luna are married, so she and Harry can't be around each other twenty-four seven. Ron's currently being an ass…and I don't like Ginny. So Hermione needed some friends. By the way, I hope I kept them in character.

Pinecone – Good God I love you! You've reviewed all three of my stories. But yes. Now she is free to romp with Draco. But I'm still debating on how to bring him in, and when. Needless to say, it will depend on my mood. Though it probably won't be for another couple chapters or so. But anyway.

Sorry about taking so long. I've been stressed out lately, and it hasn't helped my current writer's block. I hope you enjoy this chapter, to make up for my absence there will be some drama with Ron, and I'll bring in Harry and Luna.

(By the way, the line 'I think he needs to get laid. Maybe you should help him!' Is from one of my favorite authors, atruwriter. Read her stuff now!)

-----

Two days later, Hermione had indeed taken to working in the shop. It was relaxing –as much as it could be for a joke shop- and she did not fear losing another life as a Healer. Her obstinately curly hair was up in a ponytail as she found herself in the same predicament that George had been in when she had first arrived. What appeared to be a first year kept pestering her for a headless hat, and she could not seem to find them to save her life.

"George!" She called, he was the twin closest to her, flirting with a young woman with raven hair. He had become a bachelor since Katie's death; Hermione noticed he never kept a solid girlfriend. She knew it had always been on his mind, and it was doubtful he would get over it soon.

"Yeah, Mione?"

"Where are the headless hats that were here yesterday?" The younger-by-one-minute twin waved his hand in the general direction of the storeroom.

"We ran out yesterday! There's another box back there." Hermione nodded in reply briskly, and hopped down from the stepstool.

"Wait right here, please." She told the impatient little boy. Sighing, she stretched her arms over her head as she strode back to the storeroom and looked for the correct box. Hermione had not changed much since school. Her hair had relaxed a bit, but it was still relentlessly curly and wild. Two years before she had had her last growth spurt, landing her at around five seven. She was in shape from her obsession with eating healthy and exercising, but her style was not exactly high fashion. Hermione was the type of girl to still carry a book around everywhere, and was not one to reveal much skin. Today was a slouchy green sweater and some dark jeans. Even she knew most people had better style than she did. So mostly, she stuck to the basics that she knew looked good no matter what.

It was when she had finally found the box she heard a commotion. With a shock, she recognized the voice. It appeared Ron had realized where Hermione might have run. Peeking out the sliver of open door, she watched the scene unfold. If he headed for the storeroom, she was to run up the stairs to the flat and hide in her room. The charms there would make Ron unable to see that she had ever even been there.

Hermione knew it was cowardly. Hiding was something she would never normally allow herself to do, but she just could not face what he had done to her. It had been completely unexpected and unwarranted. Even though she was not in love with Ron romantically anymore, she still loved him as her friend. And it stung her heart terribly that he would outright betray her like that, and not even hide it very well. The girl had fought Death Eaters, stood up to Voldemort himself, fought in battle, participated in espionage, had killed people. Yet she was frightened of Ronald Weasley after he had cheated on her. It made no sense, really. But she supposed it was more that Voldemort was obviously evil. He was expected to stab her in the back, to try and kill her if he could have before he was defeated. Ron was a different story. He was supposed to be one of her best friends. Best friends don't stab best friends in the back like that. And for some odd reason, that scared her. Drawing herself out of her thoughts, she focused on the argument between the twins and Ron once more.

"Where is she?" Her husband demanded, looking indeed quite triumphant in his discovery and sureness that he had found his wife's hideout.

"The hell? Little brother what are you talking about?" Fred asked, arms crossed securely over his chest. The action was a clear defense, and both twins had their backs unconsciously toward the storeroom. Both sides were staring the other down, Ron trying to figure out if Fred was lying, Fred and George uncertain what their always easily angered little brother was capable of. George's hand went subtly to his wand in his front jeans pocket, and Ron noticed with a slight look of suspicion. The customers had stepped away from the scene, watching just as intensely as Hermione. She thought for a minute it looked like one of her muggle westerns. Biting down on her lip to keep herself from giggling and drawing attention to herself in the silence at the thought, she stood slowly –when had she crouched- and was preparing herself to get up the stairs quick if Ron came for the storeroom.

"Don't give me that. I know she's here. I got from a reliable source that she's been seen working here." Fred and George looked at each other amusedly.

"Why, I don't know what he's talking about, Forge."

"Must've finally gone bonkers, the poor fellow." George shook his head in sympathetic pity. Fred draped an arm over his younger brother in a show of brotherly compassion.

"I assure you, Ronniekins, your _beloved_ isn't here. Take a look at the flat if you want. Hermione hasn't been by in ages. She did owl yesterday…something seemed to be wrong. What did you do?" He asked, Ron shook his head.

"I don't know what her problem is, but I came home and she wasn't there. And I think I will take a look at the flat…" Hermione saw her husband begin walking for the storeroom, and at first she didn't comprehend that she had to move. At just about the last moment, her eyes widened and she backed up a couple steps, before quietly running up the stairs. Her foot had just gotten through the door as the redhead entered the room, and she ducked into her room just in time. Breathing a bit heavily, she thought, _that was close._ She could hear Ron investigating the living room, before entering the very room in which she was. And he did not see her. Even so, she stayed stock-still and did not even chance breathing until he seemed to be satisfied and exited. A heavy sigh erupted from the petite woman, and her coffee colored eyes closed in exhausted relief as she fell back onto the bed.

Ten minutes later, both twins burst into the room and whooped in success.

"We told you the wards would work," They said, simultaneously. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as they entered into an Irish jig with each other out of sheer Fred-and-George-like excitement.

---(Two more days later)---

"You still haven't found Mione yet?" Harry asked, his three-year-old daughter Abigail asleep in his arms.

"No." Ron was pacing the Potter flat, and the couple didn't know quite what to make of it. It would have had to be pretty serious of a disagreement if Hermione still had not showed up. Even Harry didn't know where she was. Luna assured him she would come when she was ready, and that their friend knew not to do anything stupid. He swore she was the thing that kept him sane. Luna was always so calm and serene, and even with her dreaded Hipplewocks she gave sound advice. Forehead wrinkled in thought, Harry asked his best mate,

"What happened anyway?"

"We…uh…got in a fight." Luna lifted a light blond eyebrow. Their looks were so opposite, both had been curious to see what little Abigail would look like. She had ended up with her mother's white blond hair, but her father's startling green eyes. Mrs. Weasley absolutely spoiled her rotten, as she was the first grandchild of the family. Molly still considered Harry her honorary child, and was enormously proud of him, even though he hadn't married Ginny like she had hoped. Bill and Fleur had a baby on the way, but so far Abby was her only grandchild to dote on. Percy and his fiancée were waiting until they were married, Ron and Hermione were not being expected to have any children at all, and Ginny was still single. Then of course the twins. Fred was not really one to date seriously, and George still had Katie far too much on his mind. The three-year-old seemed to take after her father's personality in the way of flying, but she loved hearing stories, and she repeated them to anyone as if they were true. It was an odd mix. Harry lifted a black eyebrow.  
"What about?" Ron looked surprised, as if he hadn't anticipated the question.

"Oh…I don't even remember now. I don't think it was a big deal, whatever it was." Even Luna looked doubtful on this one. If she knew Hermione as well as she thought she did, she knew the bookworm would not just disappear like that over a petty fight. Stealing her daughter away from Harry, she disappeared into the kitchen to find a beautiful tawny owl tapping at the glass. Hermione. Quickly she ran over –careful to not to wake her daughter- and remove the letter before the men in the other room heard. Her friend had sent it probably unknowing her future ex-husband would be there. It would not be good to let Ron see it. Gently depositing her daughter into her new bed down the hall, she broke the seal and read the short letter.

_Harry and Luna,_

_Ron and I are not getting along at the moment, as you probably know. He cheated on me. I found underwear. But I am not going to delve into that story just yet. In case Ron reads this, I am also not going to disclose my location, only that it is close, and it is safe. Say hello to Abigail for me. I love you both. _

_Hermione._

Luna was not usually one to get angry. But now, she saw little black spots dance before her eyes like Norkeljaks in early spring.

"Harry! Can you come here for a moment? I need some help with Abigail." Luna called. Hopefully Ron wouldn't follow. Harry jogged into the room, sliding an arm around his wife's waist.

"What is it? She looks fine." He said quietly, leaning over his daughter's bed just to be sure.

"Hermione wrote. I didn't want Ronald to see." She handed the letter over, and watched Harry's expression closely as he read it. It went amusingly from happiness, to disbelief, to anger all in under ten seconds.

"Why would Ron do that?" He whispered angrily. Luna had not seen her husband that infuriated since the war. She ran a hand soothingly down his arm.

"I don't know. But until Hermione asks for us, it's not our battle to fight for her. Though I would prefer if Ronald didn't come over so much, anymore." Her voice was back to normal, the spots had faded and her trademark intelligent dreaminess had returned. That relaxed Harry a bit. He led Luna back into the living room.

"Ron, since you and Mione are fighting and I don't know her side yet, I don't want to look like I've chosen one." Ron's ears turned red in irritation.

"Harry, we're best mates!" Harry lifted an eyebrow for the second time.

"So are me and Hermione." He reminded quietly, but solidly. Ron looked like he was about to say something else, but instead stalked out of the flat. Harry let go of Luna and sank onto the couch in thought.

"Where would she go? And why can't she tell us?" Luna sat next to him.

"She probably wasn't sure if you would believe her, or try and find her. I think she wants to be alone, right now." Harry massaged his temples.

"I understand that but –"

"Harry, you know you would go see her if you knew where she was," Harry sighed in defeat. Luna was right. Though what he did not know was Hermione was far from being alone at that moment.

---(Meanwhile)---

"I'm telling you, this is going to be great!" George said in unbridled excitement, practically jumping up and down. Hermione smiled in amusement. He was working on a new potion that would create the illusion of the drinker being in only their underwear for a full day.

"I'm sure it will, George." She ruffled his hair. Frowning playfully at her and attempting to fix his hair, he said woefully,

"'Mione, you really know how to wound a man's ego." She laughed and went to the kitchen to make dinner. Fred was still mesmerized by the whole concept of a television and DVDs, and had yet another one on.

"Fred, you're going to kill your eyes with that thing. Can you run across the street to that deli and get us a baguette? I want to make some garlic toast with the fettuccine." Fred got up, and threw on a shirt, and pulled on his shoes. Then he laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I was thinking about how awful George's cooking was before you came. I mean, don't get me wrong yours is no masterpiece –" Her shoe flew for his head and he ducked out the door laughing hysterically.

-----

**A/N – **What did you think, everyone? The last bit with Hermione, Fred, and George was just to show a little of their relationship. After the whole Ron drama, I wanted a bit of fluff to lighten it at the end. As every author does, I get more motivation and inspiration with reviewers. So I'll update faster, the more reviews I get. I love you all!


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